Beverage Cooling Device

ABSTRACT

A beverage cooling device for maintaining a beverage at a cool temperature while it is being consumed. The beverage cooling device includes a cylindrical container having a closed lower end, an open upper end, and a hollow interior volume. The beverage cooling device further includes an inner layer that includes a gel that can be maintained at a cool temperature for actively cooling a beverage container placed within the beverage holding device. An outer layer composed of an insulating material is disposed on the exterior of the inner layer. The outer layer is adapted to minimize heat transfer through the container so that the inner layer and beverage container can remain cool, while the exterior surface of the outer layer remains at a comfortable temperature for a user to hold.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/971,850 filed on Mar. 28, 2014. The above identified patentapplication is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety toprovide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to beverage cooling devices. Morespecifically, the present invention provides a beverage cooling deviceadapted to hold a beverage container, such as a bottle or can, andmaintain the beverage at a cool temperature while it is being consumed.The beverage cooling device comprises a cylindrical container having aclosed lower end, an open upper end, and a hollow interior volume,wherein the container includes an inner layer adapted to actively cool abeverage container and an outer layer composed of an insulatingmaterial.

During periods of warm weather, people commonly consume cold beverageswhile outdoors for refreshment. Cold beverages in cans and bottles areoften consumed at picnics, sporting events, beaches, and various outdoorareas.

However, beverages often become warm and unpalatable when exposed toambient temperatures for an extended period of time. Further, the warmthfrom a user's hand can also increase the temperature of a beverage.

People store beverages in coolers in order to maintain the beverages ata cool temperature. However, once the beverage is removed from thecooler, the temperature of the beverage begins to rise, and the beveragewill become warm if not quickly consumed after being removed from thecooler. While beverage koozies and sleeves are commonly applied tobeverages to help provide insulation and to make the beverage containermore comfortable to hold, koozies and sleeves do not help to cool thebeverage container and merely slow down the warming of the beverage.Thus, a beverage cooling device that actively cools a beverage while itis being consumed is desired.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to beverageholders and cooling devices. These include devices that have beenpatented and published in patent application publications. These devicesgenerally relate to insulated beverage holders and sleeves. Thefollowing is a list of devices deemed most relevant to the presentdisclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlightingand differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, andfurther highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.

Some patents provide a sleeve or holder for a beverage container havinga freezable gel pack, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,111, U.S. Pat. No.4,741,176, U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,842, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,300. Otherpatents provide insulating sleeves for beverage containers, includingU.S. Published Patent Application Number 2012/0261408 and U.S. Pat. No.7,111,753.

These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. Devices in theprior art fail to provide a beverage cooling device having an innerlayer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer is adapted to cool abeverage container held therein, and wherein the outer layer comprisesan insulating material. The present invention provides a beveragecooling device wherein the inner and outer layers are permanentlyaffixed to one another, and the inner layer includes a refrigerant gelpositioned within a flexible enclosure.

In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted thatthe present invention substantially diverges in design elements from theprior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the artfor an improvement to existing beverage cooling devices. In this regardthe instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofbeverage cooling devices now present in the prior art, the presentinvention provides a new beverage cooling device wherein the same can beutilized for providing convenience for the user when maintaining abeverage at a cool temperature while the user is consuming the beverage.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved beverage cooling device that has all of the advantages of theprior art and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a beveragecooling device comprising a cylindrical container having a closed lowerend, an open upper end, and a hollow interior volume in which a beveragecontainer, such as a can or bottle, can be positioned.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage coolingdevice comprising an inner layer that is adapted to actively cool abeverage container held therein, and an outer layer that is composed ofan insulating material.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a beveragecooling device having an inner layer comprising a refrigerant gel thatcan be maintained at a low temperature for an extended period of time,and that remains fluid or movable when cooled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage coolingdevice that may be readily fabricated from materials that permitrelative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will beparticularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and mannerin which it may be made and used may be better understood after a reviewof the following description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the beverage cooling device of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the beverage cooling device of thepresent invention as used to hold a bottle therein.

FIG. 3 shows a cross sectional view of the beverage cooling device ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the beverage cooling device. For the purposes of presentinga brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferredembodiment will be discussed as used for maintaining a beverage at acool temperature while a user is drinking the same. The figures areintended for representative purposes only and should not be consideredto be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown perspective views of thebeverage cooling device of the present invention. The beverage coolingdevice 11 comprises a container 12 having sidewalls, a closed lower end13, an open upper end 14, and a hollow interior volume 17. The beveragecooling device 11 is adapted to receive and hold a beverage in thecontainer 12, such as a bottle or can, among others. The beveragecooling device 11 fits snugly onto the bottle 31 so that the walls ofthe bottle 31 are flush against the interior walls of the beveragecooling device. The container 12 is preferably flexible so that it canbe stretched so as to fit containers of various sizes.

The beverage cooling device 11 is composed of at least two layers. Aninner layer 16 is adapted to contact the walls of a bottle 31 or otherbeverage container placed within the beverage cooling device 11. Theinner layer 16 includes sidewalls and may additionally include a lowerend so that that inner layer 16 contacts the bottom of the beveragecontainer. The inner layer 16 comprises a refrigerant gel containedwithin a flexible enclosure or sac. The flexible enclosure or sac mayinclude a single compartment, or may be divided into a plurality ofcompartments so as to limit the movement of the gel therein. The gel canbe cooled in a freezer or other low temperature area, and is adapted tomaintain a cool temperature when removed from the freezer. The gel isadapted to remain fluid and movable after being cooled so that it is notsolid and can conform to the shape or the beverage container placedwithin the beverage cooling device.

An outer layer 15 is disposed on the exterior of the inner layer 16. Theouter layer 15 is disposed on the walls and lower end of the inner layer15. The outer layer 15 is preferably permanently affixed to the innerlayer 16, and may be affixed by use of adhesives, or other suitablefastening means. The outer layer 15 is composed of an insulatingmaterial, such as rubber or foam, among others. In this way, the outerlayer 15 serves to inhibit the ambient temperature conditions fromwarming the inner layer 16, allowing the inner layer 16 to remain at acool temperature. Further, the heat dissipated from a user's handholding the beverage cooling device 11 is not transferred to the innerlayer 16. In this way, the beverage within the container 12 can bemaintained at a cool temperature. Additionally, the exterior surface 18of the outer layer 15 will remain at a comfortable temperature for auser to hold, and will not be as cool as the inner layer 16 which may beuncomfortable for the user to hold.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a cross sectional view of thebeverage cooling device of the present invention. The container 12preferably comprises a cylindrical shape such that it has sidewalls, aclosed lower end 13, an open upper end 14, and a hollow interior volume17. The container 12 comprises an inner layer 16 for helping to activelycool a beverage, and an outer layer 15 for minimizing heat transfer tothe beverage and for providing the user with a comfortable surface forgrasping the container 12. The inner layer 16 includes a sidewall and alower end so that the sidewalls and bottom of a beverage container arein contact with the inner layer 16. The inner layer 16 comprises aflexible enclosure 19 in which a refrigerant gel 20 is stored. The innerlayer 16 is adapted to cool the beverage while it is being consumed.Further, the outer layer 15 is disposed on the exterior of the innerlayer 16 and is coextensive therewith. The outer layer 15 includes asidewall and a bottom wall. The outer layer 15 is composed of aninsulating material so that the outer layer 15 provides a comfortablesurface for the user to hold.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown anddescribed in what is considered to be the most practical and preferredembodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be madewithin the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications willoccur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the abovedescription then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensionalrelationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations insize, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assemblyand use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in theart, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in thedrawings and described in the specification are intended to beencompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention. I claim:

1. A beverage cooling device, comprising: a container having a closedlower end, an open upper end, and a hollow interior volume; saidcontainer comprising an inner layer having a refrigerant gel adapted tocool a beverage container held within said interior volume of saidcontainer; said container further comprising an outer layer affixed tothe exterior of said inner layer, wherein said outer layer is composedof an insulating material.
 2. The beverage cooling device of claim 1,wherein said container is substantially cylindrical.
 3. The beveragecooling device of claim 1, wherein said container is flexible.
 4. Thebeverage cooling device of claim 1, wherein said refrigerant gel in saidinner layer is disposed within an enclosure.
 5. The beverage coolingdevice of claim 4, wherein said enclosure includes a plurality ofcompartments adapted to limit the movement of said refrigerant gelwithin said enclosure.
 6. The beverage cooling device of claim 1,wherein said refrigerant gel is adapted to remain in a fluid state whencooled.
 7. The beverage cooling device of claim 1, wherein said outerlayer comprises foam.
 8. The beverage cooling device of claim 1, whereinsaid outer layer is adhesively affixed to said inner layer.
 9. Thebeverage cooling device of claim 1, wherein said inner layer includessidewalls and a lower end, such that said inner layer is adapted tocontact the sidewalls and lower end of a beverage container heldtherein.